A national speaker paid a visit to the Menands School this week to encourage students to make the right choices in life.
Michael DeLeon, founder of Steered Straight Inc., spoke to students on May 5 about the dangers of vaping, alcohol and tobacco and how they should lift each other up through words, deeds and attitude.
Steered Straight is a national program that does not explain drug prevention at school assemblies but teaches the reality of drugs and devises a prevention message the students implement themselves within their school system.
DeLeon led a day-full of assemblies in the school, with discussions centered on grades kindergarten through five and grades six through eight.
The focus of the presentation to the younger students was to make the right choices in life – respect other, practice good citizenship, have empathy and take responsibility.
“Basically, it’s about lifting each other up, not tearing each other down,” said Menands School Nurse Diane Roseberger.
Meanwhile, students in the older grades learned about the real dangers of vaping, alcohol, tobacco and drug use and abuse.
DeLeon, an author and licensed therapist who has led the presentation in every state in the nation, delivered the message, speaking about his nearly 20 years of addiction and more than a decade of confinement in prison and half-way houses that resulted from a gang-related homicide.
He told the students that the choices they make will affect others, just like his decisions did.
“Your choices and your decisions don’t just affect you. Your choices and decisions affect everyone around you, and it’s going to affect you the rest of your life.”
Superintendent Jennifer Cannavo said the powerful presentation was funded through a portion of $15,000 grant the district received from Albany County.